Hey guys. I've been doing a little research and wondering if I should make the switch to the Hyperlite System Bindings. For those of you that have ridden them, what are your opinions? Are they worth the switch? Thanks

I rode them for 2 days at the cable and they were awesome!!! If i was a cable rat it would be a no brainer. Behind the boat they are awesome too, great feel. I am 37 and was landing switch 3's and riding out my blind landings because the response was so good, took some getting used to though. One thing to think about is that you will not release on a hard fall. Since I am 37 i went with other bindings behind the boat to avoid injury, plus all my boards are out of warranty and I was worried about riping inserts out, which i have done. Not many people who have ridden them complain. I put mine on while the current rider was finishing his set then just strap in on the platform. When I am done, climb in the boat, hang my board then take off my boots while the next guy was getting ready. I had the murrays and they were too narrow, greg nelson hooked me up with the AJ boots and they are MONEY!!!

If you were a cable rat? Actually they suck at the cable because swimming in them is like trying to swim w floaties around your ankles. When they make some that are less buoyant (like wakeskate shoes) then they would be great for cable. Its not just the systems; its any binding w removeable liners. Plus the whole not releasing thing just doesn't seem worth it.
The only place I see these being a "great idea" is when lurking through sketchy winch spots.
Just my 2cents

In my experience they ride great, have a ton of support and are very responsive... swimming in them with any efficiency is nearly impossible and they are a pain in the rear to have in the boat (twice as much to have to put on and take off and deal with)... dont think the fact you will never come out of them is really an issue, you're not going to come out of any good boot.... so basically, it really depends on what is important to you...

Thanks for the advice and the opinions guys. I saw in the new 2013 Hyperlite lineup that Shaun Murray went back to the team binding. What does that say when the guy they put in their videos promoting the Systems, switches back to the team binding?

Anyone who says these bindings don't release has not wrecked hard enough on them! The straps will pop free with enough pressure, trust me I have done it several times. And I don't think murray is riding the Team bindings this year, he had them on for the catalog shoot

Don't believe there's a Murray boook for the systems in 2013. Over on Hyperlite's face space page Shaun left the following comment on a photo of him riding the new team boot in response to people asking why no systems-

Hyperlite asked me to be the frontman on a new traditional boot design. I told em I wouldn't ride the if they didn't work as well as the System and both are working great. Still support the System cuz it really works. Ryan, surprised you are feeling pressure points. Make sure your straps are equal lengths on each side and that you have the new toe cap.

If i were you, I would wait for the 2013 gear to come out before you get the system bindings, if they have something new and exciting then the 2012's price will probably go down. I've never used the systems, but most skeptical people don't like them and the rest love them.

I have the '11 Marek boots and the '11 binding on one board and the '12 binding on another. The '12 bindings are a lot better. They hold much better to the boot. As for people saying they are uncomfortable; they must be doing something wrong. I fell in love with the feel of my Byerly's with the BOA years ago and that's why I wanted to try the Mareks. In years past I would feel pressure points, numbness, and overall discomfort with my bindings, but not with my Marek boots or either year bindings. In my opinion they are the most comfortable bindings I've ever had (CWB's AA bindings a close second). The only issue I have is the straps and ladders slip with the '11s. My '12s don't have that problem.

Swimming in them sucks, but getting to the boat or shore isn't that tough. You can always take them off and strap 'em back to the board for the swim. I also strap them back on my board and put them on the board rack after my set so they're not just hanging around the boat cluttering it up.

Toe strap on 2011 system bindings was not great. I got 2012 upgrade strap and much better.
I switch between my murray boot /system binding and a Ronix binding. My only complaint is a little extra effort of putting boot and then strapping Into binding.

I bought the 2012 Mareks as i have bad ankles and was getting injured with bad falls. I rate them highly. The binding is reasonably average quality, but the boots are really sharp and im a huge fan of the boa.

Yeah you cant swim in them and they are a bit of a pain to put on, but they ride really well, are ultra supportive and very comfortable.

I wonder if the pros and standard systems only come in black and white respectively, or if you can choose black or white for either? If anyone has any info on the 2013 systems, we'd love to hear about them.

Thank for the pic. Im wondering do the system pro come in white or only black? and do the regular systems come in black or only white? Where did you buddy already get his setup from? Ive been trying to track down some new mareks.

Hey guys, Thanks Gwake for catching that error, There is a difference between the Systems and System Pros. The Pro includes a new ankle strap that offers a little more flexibility and on both the ankle and toe straps there is a quick flip cam lock for easier adjustment of those two straps. You really want to make sure your ankle and toe straps are centered over your system boot and the pro makes it easier. I will get the site updated shortly, again, thanks for the catch. The WW audience always has our back on that stuff, enjoy guys...

I rode them for 2 days at the cable and they were awesome!!! If i was a cable rat it would be a no brainer. Behind the boat they are awesome too, great feel. I am 37 and was landing switch 3's and riding out my blind landings because the response was so good, took some getting used to though. One thing to think about is that you will not release on a hard fall. Since I am 37 i went with other bindings behind the boat to avoid injury, plus all my boards are out of warranty and I was worried about riping inserts out, which i have done. Not many people who have ridden them complain. I put mine on while the current rider was finishing his set then just strap in on the platform. When I am done, climb in the boat, hang my board then take off my boots while the next guy was getting ready. I had the murrays and they were too narrow, greg nelson hooked me up with the AJ boots and they are MONEY!!!

systems have been pretty dope for riding cable and the winching that i do. The new process boot is so much better than my Marek boot that i had last year. I locked the highback out on the binding however and replaced the ratchets with burton snowboard ratchets which work great. Luckily for me HL takes advantage of the marketing they get from pro shop employees/riders and they sent me a pair to ride for the season. So far i am pleased and stoked on whats goin on for 2013

I rode my new 2012 Union/2012 Marek set-up yesterday at the cable and was very impressed. This is what a cable set-up should be like. Best of all- the boots survived a trip to the cable park without coming apart like 3 pairs of Slingshot bindings did! I guess to be fair, the proof will be after 2 trips to the cable, usually the second trip is the end of Slingshots useful life from my experience. It was really easy to get in and out of the straps and it was a lot better walking to and from the dock in boots versus bare feet.

I saw the 2013 Byerly Systems yesterday at the park. The neon yellow ones-- awesome and the boots looked crazy too. I think the system bindings are a winner and Hyperlite is a company that stands behind their product (unlike other wake companies I have referenced above).

Tarek, sounds like i need to get in good with hyperlite, lucky you. How did you like the marek boots? How did you switch out the ladders and rachets? Were the hyperlite ones faulty?

Rob, thanks for the heads up and info. Ive always liked hyperlite product and they've always stood by their product. Their customer service has been A+.

Thanks for the help. Any advice, go for the new system pros or regular systems?

The Marek boots are rad for the support but one huge difference i like about the process boot is the shape of the boot especially in the toe box area. The marek boot is pretty slender and thin. The process boot is more like a snowboard boot in the shape and fit. Both are comfortable as heck. Last year I replaced the footbeds on the mareks bc the sizing was slightly small and the footbeds were fairly thick , so far with the new 2013 process boot the sizing is spot on.

Only complaint with the marek boot i had was the boa. Occassionally with components like the boa and water, i had the straps lock up and would have to pull pretty hard on them to loosen up and get out of the boot.

As for system bindings, the burton ratchets are the smaller ones and can bolt right into the straps with no additional fabrication and are compatible with the existing ladder straps on the bindings. I am partial to burton too and their ratchets in the snow industry are rock solid.

Existing ratchets on the Systems are ok but if you have access to burton ratchets.. upgrade em!

Tarek, thanks for the information and advice. I'll try on the different boots as soon as they come out. I'm not as lucky as you and dont have advanced access to Hyperlite's new stuff. Any word on system pros vs systems? Thanks

I'll be riding the new line tomorrow and am looking forward to trying the Process. My JD boots are great but I'd like a little more width in the forefoot. I'll be sure to check out the System Pro and report back.

Hyperlite systems to me are the most toe to heel response I've ever had out of any bindIng. I came off Ronix product in 2010 and totally love the systems, and then once they changed the toe
Strap (my only complaint) they were nothing short of amazing. I primarily ride boat and rails and cable everyone in a while

i dont share the same enthusiasm towards the boots, although i only ride boat... i found them no more responsive than my answers or my ktv's. plus it pissed me the hell off when my buddy plopped around the boat in them, stepping on cushions, and he had to put them on while other people were riding or it took him double time.
with every positive there is a negative: theyre a pain in the @ss on the boat

Here's all the System bindings side by side. Byerly, System, System Pro. The primary difference for the pro is the different ankle strap and the quick release hardware (that works great). Ride report to follow shortly.

I would think that once you got your own system down it would be as simple as putting on a pair of shoes before you wakeskated. Can't really see where all the hate is coming from for the boat riders??????

its simple, you dont gain anything from them except for more time putting them on, unless you wanna be the @sshole who steps on all your buddies 80k dollar boat seats in snowboard boots before you get ready for your set, which you still then have to strap in for, thats just the biggest negative, what about the extra money, the extra parts to break, the lack of compatibility with other brands (if hyperlites boot doesnt fit, youre screwed) etc. If i was stomping around the cable all day these would be at the top of my list.

Alright so here my verdict on all the new System gear. Today I rode the Process and the AJ boot in both the System and System Pro.

System- still the same and very functional. Byerly version really pops visually.

System Pro- the tool less hardware is pretty slick but really only necessary if different sized feet ride the same board. The ankle strap is great and definitely flexes a little more. It also seems to mold to the boot better.

Process- these boots are awesome. The forefoot is a little wider and they fit me perfect. I liked how they were taller but flexed better than the others. I'll be riding these.

AJ- very comfortable and flexible. Low cut and the suede looked awesome.

Thank for the feedback. Sounds like Hyperlite did good this year with their new stuff. So which do you prefer, classic system or system pro? The quick release and the new comfort strap look like a deal maker to me. Thanks again for the review.

I'm not quite sure which I'll go for. I like the idea of a little extra flexibility and the Pros certainly do that. Right now I'm leaning Pros w/ the Process and Rathy's new board.

Simple, some people don't like System and that's cool. My friends that use them for boat have no issue with them on the boat cushions as the boots never stand on anything but the board. It's also very easy to respect a boat owners seat concerns and get from the seating area to the platform without stepping on anything. Also once you're used to it the entry and ratchet down process is very fast.

My qualm is that people say it saves time, it does it, it adds time, unless you wanna be that guy stepping all over the interior. There's no way you can climb to the swim deck, put them on and ratchet down in the amount of time that it takes me to put on my ktv's and drop in. There are definitely some positives to the system, sharing boards, cable riding. But they don't add any more response (my opinion) and they take longer to put on unless you're inconsiderate (fact). I realize they have a cult following and I'm not knocking their design as its proven useful in snowboard applications. I'm just stating that there's a buyer beware, this is definitely a double edge sword when you hop on the boat.

My qualm is that people say it saves time, it does it, it adds time, unless you wanna be that guy stepping all over the interior. There's no way you can climb to the swim deck, put them on and ratchet down in the amount of time that it takes me to put on my ktv's and drop in. There are definitely some positives to the system, sharing boards, cable riding. But they don't add any more response (my opinion) and they take longer to put on unless you're inconsiderate (fact). I realize they have a cult following and I'm not knocking their design as its proven useful in snowboard applications. I'm just stating that there's a buyer beware, this is definitely a double edge sword when you hop on the boat.

Wore the systems the entire season behind the boat. They suck in how long they take to get on and it drives me crazy to have them on in my boat or in someone else's boat.

However I am not sure I will give them up. I like that I can adjust how tight or loose the boot is to my foot without adjusting how tight I am strapped to the board. Second they have a different boot to board feel. Once you get used to those 2 things its very hard to go back to a normal binding and for the few times I need to jump in the water and walk around they come in handy to not have to carry around water shoes in the boat.

Please, anyone who rides this binding, put the TOE strap on the TOES!!! Not on the top of your feet or toes. It goes on the end and fits there for a reason. Every good snowboard binding has this feature for a reason. Please don't ride with the strap on the top of your foot!!

Please, anyone who rides this binding, put the TOE strap on the TOES!!! Not on the top of your feet or toes. It goes on the end and fits there for a reason. Every good snowboard binding has this feature for a reason. Please don't ride with the strap on the top of your foot!!

No thanks. I prefer them over the top of the foot for a reason. But thanks for your concern.

I've been riding the system binding behind the boat for the past two years, and I can honestly say that I dont want to go back. the support and response is awesome, it feels like your edge-to-edge movements are supercharged. also there is significantly less toe/heel lift. with normal boots, i can lift the heels off the board enough to fit all four fingers up to my palm underneath. with the systems i can maybe get one finger up to the first knuckle under them.

when i tried traditional boots again this year, right off the bat they felt like mashed potato socks. Way too much movement before the board would react. but thats just my opinion, and I have sore ankles that like lots of support.

for those that think they take too long to put on or are a hassel...I can put on the boots and ratchet in the bindings in about one minute. All on the swim platform. No stepping on people's upholstery. When I'm done, I take the boots off and click them back into the bindings. No boots loosely floating around in the way on peoples boats. problem solved.

Also for those that wish to ride the toe strap "cap-style" like recent snowboard bindings...you certainly can, although it will actually not work as well as riding them "old-style" over the toes. This is because the volume of the toe-box in the system boots is way smaller than the volume of the toe-box in snowboard boots. This is why Hyperlite has a toe strap that works for both styles, but in this case, wearing it the old-style actually works better. and no, my foot does not slide forward in the bindings at all from wearing them like this.

Yes, the systems may not be perfect. But for me they are supportive, responsive and sick. Hope this helps.

Great review. Thank you for sharing. I'm definately looking forward to trying out the Marek boot for that high ankle support feeling and the new system pros, they look like a great product. Thanks for the opinions and reviews on the systems, it helped a lot.

i second Gwake, nice review Tom and to others who took the time. its always nice to get a good lengthy detailed view on anything

I AM A DOUBTER ON IMPROVED HEEL TOE LIFT
i have only in-store experience with the systems, but i personally didn't see a significant difference in hell and toe lift of the boot itself, but i could have had them ratcheted down in not the best way.
the system bindings themselves have a lot of flex to them so i have never understood how they can have so much "more response."
but i guess i need to try them on the water in actual riding conditions. i have a feeling that maybe the angles and leverage of the straps and system somehow make a difference.

IMPROVED CONTINUAL SUPPORT?
traditional boots there is movement of foot within the boot in extreme situations like with a poked out grab
system bindings allow movement of the boot within the binding and then foot within the boot... its kind of a three dimensional thing vs 2D above... sorta.
but again this is based on little personal experience and watching go-pr videos that are shot at an angle to see the system in action

TOE STRAP & MIDSOLE CAVITY + UNDERFOOT BRIDGE
I don't see a problem with the boots slipping front to back/ toe to heel with the bridge that runs under foot. if the straps are tightened down enough to keep the boot from lifting enough to rise over the bridge i don't see any slipping happening. or am i mistaken?

BIGGEST THING I DON"T LIKE
Toe box padding: there is...was like no padding in the toebox of the first boots. maybe this has changed, but i like to have lots of padding in the toe box. Ronix is probably the best in this department and slingshot is not too bad either. But then again, I take additional measures to add padding by wearing neo socks in a boot that is too big for me without socks. i should probably take my socks into a store and try a size too big the way i like and do anyway.

There is some great information out there. I just want to hear all the opinions so that if someone like me is interested in the systems they have a thread on here that tells all about them, the pros and the cons.

Keep the reviews coming. Anyone at all who has ever ridden and tried out the hyperlite systems, lets hear about it.

One thing to watch for if your picky about keeping your board clean. While at the cable parks, before you strap in, make sure there is no mud on the sole of your boots, they WILL rub the top layer of your board off. At least they did on both my obrien and ronix boards, Then when you look at the board, you will see the sole pattern of the boots on your board. This and the fact that they are hard to swim in are my only gripes about them. Riding both my 2012 ronix one boots and the systems, I too dont see where people are getting this "Its way more responsive" feel. All the boots out now are so low that they are all pretty much the same in terms of responsiveness, i think thats just one of HL's marketing ploys. You'll just have to get out and ride them first hand. You may love them or hate them, but you are the one that has to figure that out.

One other thing I forgot to mention is if you have a wide foot, the system boots don't really accommodate for this, they are geared towards people with narrow feet. However with the new process boot, that may be a non issue now. I have the 12 mareks and they were really the only ones that I tried on that fit my wide foot. Note: the shop that i bought them from only had the mareks, webb, and murray. They didn't have the AJ boots yet.

The Process boot accommodates a wide foot with ease. I have a retarded fat foot and my JD Boots from '12 were too narrow. The Process is a whole new world. They are true to size and the forefoot is much wider. Seriously the most comfortable boot I've ever worn.

gwake1989, you should probably just go ahead and pick them up. You've got a ton of reviews and I'm sure you would like to add your two cents. I'm hoping to get mine soon, likely going to wait til later October when I can get my hands on Rathy's AR-1.

Thanks small light. Yeah I'll probably pick them up here soon, just waiting on my local boardshop to have them in stock. Thanks for all the reviews. And if anyone else out there has tried the systems out, feel free to add to this thread.

here is a video i remembered that had good up-close footage of the bindings via go-pro.
around the 30 second mark shows the system in action of a poked grab. you can see the "3 dimensions" of movement as I sorta coined/interpreted it in my previous post.
you can see that the boot is allowed to move within the binding so that the foot can flow more with the boot and maintain its support. the binding moves too and i am sure the foot inside the boot does too, but not as much as would be necessary as with a traditional boot.

However, i think this video also shows that there IS heel and toe lift. how significant it would compare to other brands? i don't know... is there something different about the angles and pressure? I don't know.

I do know that i'd love a chance to try them on the water, riding one day to give them a true test instead of just stomping around a store and analyzing videos haha

I ride the 140marek and 140bside for boat and a 142 union for cable/rails. I'm 5'9" 160lbs and love the toe to heel response on the systems.

Oh and just a heads up for you guys the 2013 system boots are all built on a new "last" meaning the mold is a little bigger creating a more comforting better fitting ride making the 2013 boots ridiculously comfortable. I am riding the Murray's from 2012 and the Process boots for 2013

whats the difference between the pros and the regulars? is it worth upgrading from 2012 also did anyone notice how big the drain holes are on the boots?? thatll get a lot of dirt up in the boots walking back to the dock...

Reading all these review definitely make want to get out and demo a pair once I get the chance. I thought it would be a pretty sweet setup to have two sets of the hardware, one for cable board and one for boat board, and then just have one pair of boots, so they always feel the same and I imagine in the long run the boots might ware out first and that may cut down on one less expense in the future....

But in referinng to three places of for your foot to move in the binding, the most recent cover shot from wakeboaring mag at Bethy Creek really showed it to me. If you can manage to look at his left foot you can see the boot is actually twisted, but the hardware isn't (as much at least).